Inhaler and medicine-holder



(No Model.)

ND HOLDER.

J. W. WO

INHALBR AND MEDICI No. 466,130. Patented Dec. 29, 189.1.

IME/vz 01? UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES lV. lVOOD, OF POUGHKEPSIE, NElV YORK.

INHALER AND MEDICINE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,130, dated December 29, 1891. Application filed November 13, 1891. Serial No. 411,781. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JAMES W. WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Medicine Holders and Inhalers; and i do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in medicine holders and inhalers in which a solidified medicinal substance is adapted for external use or forinhalation; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a convenient but inexpensive pocket-holder for containing and protectinga solidied medicinal preparation adapted for external use 5 second, to provide space for the passage of air underneath as well as on all sides of the medicinal preparation, and thereby increase its strength for inhalation, and, third, to provide means for shutting oft an inflow of air at the bottom of the holder in order to prevent the unnecessary dissipation of the strengthl of the medicine when not in use. Iattain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my combined medicine holder and inhaler, showing the various parts fitted together in position to protect the medicine from breakage or dissipation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of my device, showing the parts in position for use as an inhaler and indicating the direction of the currents` of air from underneath and around the medicine into the outl let-tube of the holder; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the various parts of the device separated from one another to better show the method of construction.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The cylinder A of the holder may be constructed of any desired material, but is preferably of metal, because of its being a good conductor of heat,which facilitates the vaporization of such a medicinal substance as menthol when held in the hand a few moments before inhalation. Near the bottom of A are one or more apertures a, which, in connection with corresponding openings c in the flange of the base C, afford inlets for the air underneath and around the medicinal substance D,

as is best shown in Fig. 2. The base C fits snugly upon the upper4 portion f of the handle B, and D may be firmly attached at the sides to the inner surface of the flange of C at g; but the depression at g should not be'as great as the thickness of the flange of C, so that the air may pass freely upward along the sides of D when A is placed imposition upon C and ct brought into registering position with c, asis shown in Fig. 2. y

Into the Lipper end of the cylinder A, l place the top or nose-piece E, provided with a small orifice e, leading. from the cylinder rabove the medicine and adapted to carry the vapor to the nostril for inhalation. Vood or hard rubber is preferable for this part of the holder, which comes into contact with the nostril, and it may be made friction-tight in the cylinder or may be cemented to it. The handle B also may be attached in either of these ways to-C, and between B and D should be left a space bto permit the'free passage of air underneath the medicineas well as upward along its sides when the apertures c and c coincide. a ct of course need not be circular, as shown, but may be slots extending to the bottom of the cylinder, as c c extend to the top of the flange.

When the holder is not in use as an inhaler, unnecessary dissipation of medicinal vapor may be avoided by simply turning slightly in either direction the handle `B and its cap C until ct and c are no longer in registering position and all inflow of air at the bottom is Stopped.

I am aware that inhalers have been constructed with reference to admitting or shutting off the inflow of air at the bottom, and I do not claim such a device, broadly.l

It will readily be seen from the foregoing.

description and from the drawings that secure by my device not only an inexpensive and convenient pocket-holder for such a prepation as a-menthol pencilfor external use in the usual manner, but also in the same holder-I obtain an efficient inhaler for the treatment `of catarrh, colds, or similar ailments by the introduction of the medicated IOO vapor directly to the nostrils and bronchial tubes.

XVhat I claim, therefore, as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 5 1. A holder for solidified medicine, consisting of a ring or base adapted to hold the medicine, a cylinder adapted to t over the flange of the base and to surround and protect the medicine, a top piece inserted in the ro cylinder, and a handle attached to thc base,

substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. Aholder, substantially as described, having; the solidified medicine or pencil separated I5 from the holder at the bottom to permit the 

